Monday, July 8, 7:00 P.M.
Members $95, guests $120

A tourist witnessing the hordes of people parading through the doors of Citarella would think that they're giving the stuff away, but we know otherwise. Schools of discriminating shoppers swim to Citarella for the widest variety of fresh fish, meats, and produce, and for deliciously prepared take-home meals. And now that Citarella The Restaurant has set up shop in Rockefeller Center, tourists in-the-know would be wise to pay a visit to sample Brian Bistrong's delicious way with some of the finest ingredients around. Beard members, however, needn't fight their way through the maddening Midtown crowd—Citarella The Restaurant is bringing the whole kettle of fish to us. Well, maybe not the whole kettle—just the softshells, and lots of them.

While Bistrong is relatively new to Citarella, he is no stranger to New York, nor to the Beard House. He cooked for us just last January, showcasing the self-styled coastal cuisine that he expertly prepared at Navio, the luxe restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. If you were lucky enough to be there, you probably found yourself seconding Lesli Neilson's San Francisco Chronicle review, which called Bistrong's "hearty" meat dishes and "rustic" main courses "elegant" and "breathtaking." Scott Gummer of Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine advised his readers to "prepare to feast. Navio, under the direction of Brian Bistrong, is a gastrofest for the ages." And now that this talented chef has teamed up with the formidable Citarella name, it's only a matter of time before Grimes of the Times rings in where Neilson and Gummer left off.

Bistrong certainly has the credentials to head up a stellar dining destination. After graduating from both Boston University and the CIA, he took a position at Lespinasse under Gray Kunz. Then he moved on to work for David Bouley at Bouley and Bouley Bakery, where he was named chef de cuisine. While he was at the latter, the restaurant earned a rare four stars from The New York Times.

Crawl on over to Beard House for the best softshell crabs of the season.

This event will take place at the Beard House, 167 West 12th Street. For reservations, call (212) 627-2308.